Living in Singapore is basically running from an air-conditioned building to an air-conditioned bus, car or train in order to escape the overwhelming heat. The current temperature hovers around 31°C and 76% humidity. For those who may not understand, it is very hot and very sweaty.
This is why we jumped at the chance to review the Close Comfort Cool Focus portable air-conditioner. We were not expecting it, but they timed it just right.
So once they delivered it, we decided to stress test it right away and had it set up right by the workstation (from home, of course) in the middle of a hot and murky Singaporean afternoon.
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Let’s jump straight into the review.
Setting up the portable air-conditioner
Honestly, we didn’t know what to expect. None of us had ever used a portable AC before and we spent a solid two minutes looking for the exhaust hose to make sure it didn’t wet the floor. However, a quick read through of the installation guide pretty much said plug it in and turn it on. No other installation was required.
It was actually that easy and if you spend about than 30 seconds setting it up, you’ll be able to get it almost right away. We just plugged in the portable air-conditioner and we were off to the races.
Another awesome thing we discovered was the fact, you do not need to fill it up with water or replace anything. Everything comes full prepared and it is really as simple as a plug and play machine.
Is it a distraction in an office
Setup aside, portable air-conditioners can be quite noisy or at least, to the point that it is noticeable. They can also take up a lot of space making them a bulky accessory for small offices or work areas.
The Close Comfort Cool Focus is actually quite compact and remarkably light for a portable air-conditioner. Weighing just 17kg and small enough to fit quite comfortable under a dining table or work desk, it is quite easy to find space for it in your home or office. It also rolls around easily, so moving it from room to room was quick and pretty painless.
Where it might cause some trouble is the fact that it can be quite loud, especially when you turn it on. However, after using it for about ten minutes the team got used to it and it has now become a familiar background noise that does not impact our work day at all.
Another thing is to make sure you don’t place it right up against a wall or another surface, as it does exude hot air from the back, so some space is necessary to ensure it doesn’t overheat.
Performance of the Close Comfort Cool Focus
You can use this portable air-conditioner in a room with open windows and doors, as it creates a pocket of cooled air around you. However, is it really cool enough when you have to deal with temperatures hovering around 30°C and above throughout most of the day.
It can actually get to a chilly 17°C within a few minutes if you put it on powerful mode and a table with three people were quite comfortable. However, it does become louder if you use it at maximum power.
At night, I used the portable air-conditioner instead of the mounted one and it performed quite comparably throughout the night. I didn’t have any trouble falling asleep and it kept me comfortable throughout.
Power usage and more
I personally think that this is where the Close Comfort Cool Focus stands out from most other portable air-conditioners. Requiring just 300W, it uses a fraction of what most other units require and cools at the same level.
This can be a huge money saver for anyone, as the average Singaporean household spends around USD 150 per unit. The power that you save can easily offset the cost of the unit in just a few months.
If we didn’t mention travel of some sort, we’d be remiss. For those who enjoy the outdoors, this might be the portable air-conditioner for you. It can run easily on a small generator and even works with batteries. Whether you’re exploring the outback in Australia or camping in East Coast Park in Singapore, this can make your trip a whole lot cooler.
Is it an eco-friendly portable air-conditioner?
The Close Comfort Cool Focus is also environmentally friendly according to the stats. From using just 300 watts of power to 80% less refrigerants compared to normal split system air-conditioners, it is exactly what we need to stay comfortable and environmentally conscious.
The Cool Focus also emits less than 50% CO2 than normal split system air-conditioners. This equates to about 230 grams of CO2 per hour saved and that means less impact on global warming.
Should you buy the Close Comfort Cool Focus
I would think that is a pretty straightforward yes. However, we try to maintain as much balance as possible with our reviews, so here are a few things you should probably know beforehand.
There is some condensation around the air vents when it rains and the temperature drops suddenly. This might be a problem for some people.
While the noise-level is manageable, highly sensitive people may have trouble adapting. It does generally fade into the background quite quickly.
That being said, we give it a big thumbs up and highly recommend that people give it a try. To purchase the portable air-conditioner:
